No description available.

Homocysteine, an intermediate metabolite biosynthesized from the methionine cycle, is a homologue of cysteine. Homocysteine differs from cysteine by an additional methylene group, which makes it more reactive. Elevated homocysteine level is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease, brain atrophy, neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive dysfunctions. Recent studies suggest a bi-directional relationship between homocysteine levels and immune-inflammatory activation. Our studies sought to determine if hyperhomocysteinemia affects cell infiltrates in the Central Nervous System (CNS). Inflammatory monocytes recruitment into the CNS and microglia proliferation have been shown in several inflammatory models, and Ly-6Chi CCR2+ monocytes have been shown to be the precursor for microglia. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) would alter CNS infiltrate composition. We investigated whether HHcy affected the total mononuclear cells composition in the CNS. We also determined whether HHcy altered the inflammatory monocyte subsets composition in the CNS. In order to determine the effects of HHcy in the CNS mononuclear cells composition, we genotyped the mice, and isolated mononuclear cells from the CNS using percoll gradient method. Then we simultaneously stained the cells with three antibodies, PE-labeled anti-mouse CD11b, PE-Cy5-labeled anti-mouse CD45, and FITC-labeled anti-mouse Ly-6C and analyzed the samples by flow cytometry method. HHcy made no difference in the percentage of lymphocytes, infiltrating monocytes and microglia in the total CNS mononuclear cells, but within infiltrating monocytes, HHcy decreased Ly-6Clo and increased Ly-6Chi subsets. These findings demonstrate that HHcy has effects on the CNS mononuclear cell composition. In summary, HHcy decreased Ly-6Clo and increased Ly-6Chi subsets of infiltrating monocytes in the CNS. There is a potential role of HHcy in increasing inflammatory monocytes infiltration. / Pharmacology

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisor: Don Heider. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

The thesis focuses on the issue of spatial neglect and its neuropsychological diagnostics. The theoretical part of the thesis first summarizes recent knowledge about the neglect and offers its classification, which maps the heterogeneous nature of the disorder. Furthermore, two areas of diagnostic methods aimed at neglect detection are discussed, which are the classic "paper-pencil" tests and functional tests. Finally, these methodological areas are put into relationship, the work discusses their possible complementarity and also their use in clinical practice. In the empirical part we focus on selected classic methods and their ability to diagnose mild neglect in the Czech population. For 64 patients, we compared the sensitivity of the Bells test, the line bisection test, and the scene copying test using different criteria. We also examined double dissociations and relationships between tests, and then the relationships between the ability of instruments to detect neglect and the characteristics of probands. The results mostly confirmed the findings of the theoretical part of the thesis. The sensitivity of the methods was low and variable, there were double dissociations between the line bisection test and the other tests, and there were practically no statistically significant correlations...

From a media industries, fan studies, and emerging socio-cultural public relations perspective, this project pulls back the Hollywood curtain to explore two questions: 1) How do TV public relations practitioners and key tastemaker/gatekeeper media define, create, build, and maintain fandom?; and 2) How do they make meaning of fandom and their agency/role in fan creation from their position of industrial producers, cultural intermediaries, members of the audience, and as fans themselves? This project brings five influential, working public relations and media professionals into a conversation about two case studies from the 2010-2011 television season – broadcast network CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 and basic cable network AMC’s The Walking Dead. Each of these shows speaks to fandom in particular ways and are representative of the industry’s current approaches in luring specific audiences to TV. This study shows that the relationship between entertainment publicists and media is dynamic, intertwined, complex, and historically hidden.

Uppdragsgivare för detta examensarbete är Länsstyrelsen Dalarna. Målet är att undersöka hur lämplig tekniken med CBS (Cell Broadcast Service) baserade textmeddelande är vid viktigt meddelande till allmänheten (VMA-larm). En tjänst som utnyttjar CBS-tekniken kan rädda liv om allmänheten i ett tidigt skede får reda på vad som hänt och vart de ska bege sig.Rapporten visar på hur man kan använda SMS då en krissituation uppstår. Med hjälp av CBS-tekniken skickas meddelandet till specifikt valda basstationer och alla mobiltelefoner som är uppkopplade mot den. Det positiva är att bara de som behöver få veta vad som hänt får meddelandet.Enligt specifikationerna (ETSI) på GSM och 3G-näten i Sverige finns det stöd för utskick av CBS-meddelanden inbyggt i de befintliga näten. Det finns dock vissa problem vid införandet av CBS-tekniken i operatörsnäten. Operatörerna måste implementera en Cell Broadcast Center (CBC) i näten, denna del av infrastrukturen kommunicerar med basstationerna och sköter utskicken av CBS-meddelanden. Ett ytterligare problem med CBS-tekniken är att användarna måste aktivera mobiltelefonen för att ta emot CBS-meddelanden.Enligt Telia och Vodafone används CBS inte i Sverige idag men vi bedömer att tjänsten för att varna allmänheten kan använda sig av CBS-tekniken om den implementeras i operatörsnäten. Vi har i detta arbete använt oss av en generell kvalitativ metod kompletterat med Siegels metod. Med den kvalitativa metoden har vi intervjuat Telia och Vodafone på ingående fakta om CBS-tekniken. Vid design av teknisk lösning har vi använt oss av Siegels två första faser.

Coaching is highly complex and dynamic, especially at the high performance level when the work demands and expectations are significant (Lyle, 2002). High performance coaches have to systematically plan, monitor and evaluate their programmes. At the same time, they have to manage a complex performance environment, including support systems (e.g., sports sciences, logistics and officials), to ensure that their athletes perform and achieve successful results (Knowles, Tyler, Gilbourne, & Eubank, 2006; Lyle, 2002; Potrac, Brewer, Jones, Armour, & Holf, 2000). Accordingly, I have substantiated throughout this thesis that there is a need to: (1) understand how the Singapore high performance basketball coaches develop to their current position, (2) examine what the perceived important work tasks of these coaches are as perceived by the team managers, players, coaches and experts in basketball, (3) develop a context-specific tool to evaluate basketball coaches’ work, and (4) engage coaches in reflection and to guide them through the reflection process, with the aim of enhancing their coaching practices, and subsequently improving players’ performance and satisfaction level in the Under-18 national team. Research showed that there is a strong correlation between the experiences/background of coaches and the way they coach (e.g., Erickson, Côté, & Fraser-Thomas, 2007). Study 1 identified the coaching pathways of high performance basketball coaches in Singapore to enhance understanding of how these experiences may have influenced and shaped their coaching behaviour. The result supports the benefits of diversified sports participation during early childhood. Qualitative data also shows that all coaches involved in this study perceived benefit from diversified sports participation during early childhood. Such exposure to a variety of physical activities was considered beneficial for later sports specialization during adolescence as some of the concepts and skills were transferrable (e.g., Erickson et al., 2007). A point that is consistently emphasized throughout this thesis is that coaching is context-specific. The work tasks performed by the high performance basketball coaches in Singapore may not be congruent with coaches in other countries and sports. Therefore, it is my view that there is a need to examine the important work tasks of high performance basketball coaches in Singapore, and consequently, to develop a sport and context-specific instrument to capture and evaluate their work appropriately. Study 2 sought to examine the key tasks of high performance basketball coaches in Singapore using the Coach Behaviour Scale for Sports (CBS-S; Côté, Yardley, Hay, Sedgwick, & Baker, 1999). The CBS-S (Côté et al., 1999) was developed from research conducted on high performance gymnastic coaches and athletes. It was subsequently used in a few countries in different sports to measure the perception of athletes and their satisfaction level with regard to the coaching they have received. Seventeen participants (national coaches, team managers, players and other experts) took part in the study in which quantitative (CBS-S) and qualitative (semi-structured interviews) data were collected. The quantitative data were analysed using SPSS (Version 15.0) and the qualitative data were content analysed by three experienced researchers in sport psychology and coaching. The findings revealed that the dimensions and items from the CBS-S were considered mostly relevant in evaluating the work of Singapore’s high performance basketball coaches. Nevertheless, some modifications were made to the CBS-S to make it more specific to the basketball context in Singapore based on conceptual, theoretical and empirical considerations. The final version of the Singapore CBS-S (Basketball) has 10 dimensions with 104 items as opposed to the original CBS-S with 8 dimensions and 77 items. Overall, the findings from this study were consistent with the literature on coaches’ work. There are benefits for engaging in the reflection process. As stated in Chapter 3, reflective practice has gained popularity in many contexts such as art (e.g., Roberts, 2001), education (e.g., Smyth, 1991) and sports (Gilbert & Trudel, 2001; Kidman, 2001) just to name a few. Reflection, if done properly, has the potential to enhance performance. The aim of Study 3 is to use the data collected from the Singapore CBS-S (Basketball) to guide coaches in their reflection, with the aim of enhancing the quality of their coaching practices. Feedback was given to these coaches at the end of pre-season and during training sessions. Qualitative data showed that both coaches in this study were involved in different forms (e.g., Gilbert & Trudel, 2004; Knowles, Gilbourne, Borrie, & Neville, 2001; Schön, 1983, 1987) and levels of reflection (Van Manen, 1977) as suggested in the literature. There was sufficient evidence to suggest that both coaches had made adjustments to their coaching behaviours and methods after the pre-season feedback session. Nevertheless, post-season results from the men’s team players revealed that their coach has made significant improvement in his coaching; whilst players from the women’s team felt otherwise. The difference in results may be closely linked to the coaching philosophy, athletic and coaching background of the two coaches who were involved in this study. These factors may have shaped the way they reflected and addressed the coaching issues. Post-season qualitative data showed that coaches and players affirmed the benefits of the feedback process, using the Singapore CBS-S (Basketball) as an objective tool to gather data. Such findings will have significant impact on the future of Basketball coaching in Singapore at the high performance level.

Inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) catalyses the key step in de novo guanine nucleotide biosynthesis at the branch point of GTP and ATP production. Mammals have two ubiquitous, catalytically indistinguishable isoforms, IMPDH type I and type II, and these are considered functionally interchangeable. Each contains a Bateman domain known to serve as energy-sensing / allosteric regulatory modules in a range of unrelated proteins. Mutations in the Bateman domain of type I, which do not affect catalytic activity, cause the retina-degenerative disease, retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The central hypothesis of this thesis is that IMPDH is regulated. In particular, that regulation occurs in an isoform specific manner and that mutations causal to RP affect enzyme regulation. Here we have visualised, including in real-time, the redistribution or clustering of IMPDH into linear macrostructures in a time-dependent manner which appeared to be intimately associated with changes in intracellular nucleotide levels. Data presented suggest the significance of IMPDH clustering is unlikely to be associated with substrate channelling, via interaction with other proteins in the de novo biosynthesis pathway, or enhanced protein stability. Although both isoforms responded similarly to fluctuations in intracellular nucleotide levels, type I had a higher propensity to spontaneously cluster into macrostructures compared to type II. This propensity to cluster was found to be conferred by the N-terminal 244 amino acids, which includes the Bateman domain, using a series of type I / type II chimera proteins. A comparative and novel approach revealed isoform-specific purine nucleotide binding characteristics. Type I bound ATP and type II bound AMP, via a mechanism involving the Bateman domain, resulting in conformational changes in IMPDH. This nucleotide binding was not associated with allosteric activation of IMPDH catalytic activity. The RP-causing mutation, R224P, abolished ATP binding and this correlated with an altered propensity to cluster. Collectively these data (i) show IMPDH distribution is regulated by the intracellular environment (ii) demonstrate that the IMPDH isoforms are modulated in a differential manner by AMP and ATP by a mechanism involving the Bateman domain, (iii) indicate communication between the Bateman domain and the active site and (iv) demonstrate that a RP-causing mutation compromises such regulation. From a broader perspective, this work raises the possibility that the nucleotide sensing properties of the Bateman domain in IMPDH serve to regulate IMPDH and co-ordinate nucleotide homeostasis, thereby giving rise to cellular plasticity in an isoform-specific manner to meet the requirements of the cellular environment.

The reproductive biotechnologies currently represent a major scientific discipline based on a sufficient quantity of wholesome oocytes matured in vitro conditions to acquire permits for their effectiveness. The meiotic maturation is a complex process where a wide range of factors is involved in the regulation. One of these factors are small gaseous molecules, so-called gasotransmitters. These gases demonstrate number of physiological functions in the organism and the latest discovered gasotransmitter is hydrogen sulfide (H2S). The aim of this thesis was to test the hypothesis according to which there are enzymes present in porcine oocytes that produce H2S (CBS, CTH, 3-MPST), their distribution is in interaction and their joint actions influence the process of the meiotic maturation. The resulting data were obtained on the basis of immunocytochemical staining and colocalization analysis. The results proofed the presence of H2S-releasing enzymes in porcine oocytes. It was also confirmed the function of these enzymes in relation to the regulation of the meiotic maturation when oocytes cultured with triple inhibitors of H2S-releasing enzymes matured more slowly. The results also showed medium correlation dependence of enzymes CBS, CTH and 3-MPST. The combination of CBS and 3-MPST resulted in high correlation dependence which confirmed their interaction both in immature oocytes and in vitro matured oocytes. It is evident that so far studied effects of H2S are only a fraction of skills which this signal molecule possesses. There exists a need for future experiments to help us describe and explain the acting mechanisms of H2S.